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Dust nuisance plagues West Bank community
…residents appeal for intervening measures
Forced to inhale air that is visibility polluted with cane ash, residents of Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara, yesterday vocalised their concerns even as they appealed for the relevant authorities to intervene.
The residents, most of whom have been living in the West Bank area for more than two decades, claim that the problem normally intensifies during crop season at the Wales Estate. At this time they claim that cane is burnt continuously.
Yesterday, clouds of black smoke could be seen emitting from the factory chimney. However this newspaper was soon informed that the black smoke was in fact laced with ash from the burning cane.
A look inside of several homes revealed the destination of the ashes which left no surface untouched. Even boiling pots were not spared the unwelcome intrusion. “This problem affecting we a long, long time and it getting really overbearing now…I been living here all my life and I remember the chimney used to be much higher so now it lower and causing all the dust to come back on we,” lamented Nazima Mohamed.
“The dust going into we house, into we food and is this tainted dust we inhaling all the time. I call the Estate Manager and he actually said that he can’t do anything about it…imagine all he tell me is that we must clean we place.”
Not only does the dust leave the environment in an unsightly condition but according to residents they constantly suffer bouts of cold as a result of the constant pollution. Natasha Kendna, a mother of an eight-month old baby said that she is always trying to find new ways to protect her child from the contaminated atmosphere.
“Me baby always got a cold me carry she to the clinic and is medication pun medication and the nurse them say ain’t nothing else that can really do because of the situation we living in…I does getting the cold all the time too and it just ain’t going away,” said the visibly concerned woman.
“Watch this baby foot; watch he hands…is this dust all over the place we can’t even risk to carry he outside fuh fresh air because of this dust,” said Muniram who himself is employed at the Factory.
He shared the conviction that the chimney of the factory should be higher allowing for the emission to be directed away from the community thereby causing less of an impact to the atmosphere. He expressed concerns that there is no mechanism in place to prevent the ashes from infiltrating the community and other nearby locale.
Another elderly resident, who identified herself as Sheila, said that she has been residing in the area for over 30 years and can barely stand to make it through the day given the existing state of affairs.
Residents said that keeping their homes clean is a near impossible task since every attempt is thwarted by the constant emission of ashes. One resident said that on average she is required to clean her home at least 10 times a day to keep it in a presentable state.
They are urging that the factory and other relevant officials take measures to address the situation which seems to have no end in sight.
Factory Manager at the Wales Estate, Terry Simon, yesterday said that he is not aware of the plight of the residents owing to him being away from the factory for a while. He however assured that he was going to look into the matter.
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